From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. OkweIlieze Nwodo has appeared before the Abia State of Assembly to respond to allegations of high school fees and arbitrary running of affairs at Government College, Umuahia levelled against Fisher Educational Development Trust (FEDT), managers of the school.
An Old boy of the school, Chukwudi Onwudinanti had petitioned the Abia House of Assembly, alleging that FEDT went out of it’s way to increased the fees payable at the school, making it to be out of the reach of the poor.
Chukwudi equally alleged in the petition that members of FEDT took arbitrary decisions on some issues affecting the school without recourse to members of the Government College Umuahia Old Boys Association (GCUOBA) that appointed them in the first place.
Following the petition, the House Committee on Public Petitions, invited Dr. Nwodo as chairman of FEDT to appear before it.
Explaining how FEDT came into being, Nwodo said, “About 10 years ago, the Old Boys put their heads together and chose what they considered as their first 11, to champion this restoration movement and forwarded the names to Abia State Government, who approved them, and also nominated two of the members. This is how the board was created.”
Responding to questions at the House of Assembly, the former governor claimed that even as their tenures was ending, they would be the ones to replace themselves.
Nwodo said although members of FEDT whose tenure would soon expire were appointed by GCUOBA, that the FEDT constitution gave them the authority to appoint who will replace them.
“As I have said, we have sent out letters to all the chapters, to nominate people who will succeed us.”
When asked since members of the board of FEDT were nominated by the GCUOBA, why is it that the members whose tenures have expired, refused to leave to make way for the ones nominated by GCUOBA NEC,  in their AGM, to replace them?
The former Governor said, “The Board in its wisdom, considered, that those two trustees were actually used initially, to achieve registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, and that the Board took its life when it was fully constituted with a full compliment of Old Boys, and a full compliment of Abia State Government, and that’s when it took its life, and that all members will leave after two tenures of 10 years.
“We have started the proccess of replacing ourselves, FEDT has sent out letters, so that FEDT will choose those who will take over”.
The House promised to investigate the claims of Nwodo to be able to take a firm decision.